U.S. patent application number 11/671957 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-30 for safety vest.
This patent application is currently assigned to GLOBAL SAFETY SOLUTIONS & MANAGEMENT PTY LTD. Invention is credited to Dennis Mahony.
Application Number | 20070199126 11/671957 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38442636 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070199126 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mahony; Dennis |
August 30, 2007 |
SAFETY VEST
Abstract
A high visibility safety vest has a front and back panel
connected together by separable and elasticized side panels, the
arrangement being such that the garment may be easily separated
from the wearer's body. One or more fasteners can located on each
of the side panels, and the front and back panels may be joined at
the shoulder of the vest by separable fasteners.
Inventors: |
Mahony; Dennis; (Mascot, New
South Wales, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ABELMAN, FRAYNE & SCHWAB
666 THIRD AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10017
US
|
Assignee: |
GLOBAL SAFETY SOLUTIONS &
MANAGEMENT PTY LTD
5/25 OSSARY STREET
MASCOT
AU
2020
|
Family ID: |
38442636 |
Appl. No.: |
11/671957 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/01 20130101;
A41D 2300/322 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/069 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/00 20060101
A41D013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2006 |
AU |
AU 2006 900 586 |
Claims
1. A high visibility safety vest comprising a front and back panel
connected together by separable and elasticized side panels, the
arrangement being such that the garment may be easily separated
from the wearer's body.
2. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 further comprising
one or more fastening means provided on each of the side
panels.
3. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 wherein the front and
back panels are joined at the shoulder of the vest by separable
fastening means.
4. The high visibility vest of claim 2 wherein the fastening means
extend along the length of the panels.
5. The high visibility vest of claim 3 wherein the fastening means
extend along the length of the panels.
6. The high visibility vest of claim 2 wherein the fastening means
comprises a first and second mating strip, each strip located on
opposing panels.
7. The high visibility vest of claim 3 wherein the fastening means
comprises a first and second mating strip, each strip located on
opposing panels.
8. The high visibility vest of claim 2 wherein the fastening means
comprises hook and loop fasteners.
9. The high visibility vest of claim 3 wherein the fastening means
comprises hook and loop fasteners.
10. The high visibility vest of claim 1 wherein the vest is made of
retro-reflective material.
11. The high visibility vest of claim 1 further comprising an
opening for the neck and a waist band.
12. The high visibility vest of claim 1 further comprising a zipper
that extends from the neck opening to the waistband.
13. The high visibility vest of claim 11 wherein the waistband is
elasticized.
14. The high visibility vest of claim 1 further comprising a
pattern of retro-reflective material.
15. The high visibility vest of claim 14 wherein the pattern of
retro-reflective material includes circumferential strips on the
front and back panels.
16. The high visibility vest of claim 14 wherein the pattern of
retro-reflective material includes longitudinal strips which extend
over the shoulder portion of the vest.
17. The high visibility vest of claim 14 wherein the pattern of
retro-reflective material includes longitudinal strips which extend
from the uppermost circumferential strip on the front panel over
the shoulder portion to the uppermost circumferential strips on the
back panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to safety garments and more
particularly to high visibility, detachable safety garments.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] High visibility articles of clothing typically incorporate
combinations of luminescent and retro-reflective surfaces. It is
necessary to minimize the likelihood that a wearer may become
caught up or injured when clothing such as a safety vest is caught
accidentally or grasped deliberately. Such garments are designed
for use in situations such as terrorism and crowd control and may
be used by persons such as police, fire, security, safety, hospital
and other public services.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a high
visibility safety garment, which is designed to prevent
entanglement.
[0006] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a
safety garment which comprises front and back panels connected
together by separable and elasticized side panels, the arrangement
being such that the garment may be easily separated from the
wearer's body if part of the garment is caught accidentally or
grasped deliberately.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In order that the invention may be more readily understood
and put into practical effect, references will now be made to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front view of the safety garment according to
one embodiment of the present invention, and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the safety garment shown in FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, a safety vest 10 according to one
embodiment of the invention includes a front panel 12 and a back
panel 14 that extend from the wearer's shoulders to the hips. The
sides of the front panel 12 and the back panel 14 are joined by two
elasticized side panels 16a and 16b. One or more fastening means
18a and 18b are provided along the left and right elasticized side
panels 16a and 16b. The tops of the front panel 12 and back panel
14 are also joined by separable fastening means 18c and 18d so that
the garment can be easily freed from the wearer's body.
[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fastening means 18a and 18b
run from under each arm opening to the waist on both the left and
right side of the vest. Each fastening means comprises first and
second mating strips, with one strip of each fastening means being
on the front panel 12 and the other strip being located on the
respective side panels.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening
means are hook and loop fasteners such as those sold under the
trade mark VELCRO.TM. or touch tape, so that when the vest is
grabbed and pulled, the fastening means can be separated, allowing
the front panel 12 and back panel 14 to be disconnected and pulled
off the wearer.
[0013] Preferably, the elasticized side panels 16a, 16b extend from
the opening under the arm to the waist of the vest, allowing a
certain amount of pull when the vest gets caught or deliberately
pulled whilst worn.
[0014] A pattern of reflective, fluorescent or photoluminescent
material may be applied to the vest. Each portion of the pattern
may be formed from strips of retro-reflective material. Upper and
lower reflective strips may span the front and back panel. As
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the retro-reflective strips 20 run
horizontally across the front and back panels of the vest, and
retro-reflective strips 21 run vertically from the first horizontal
strip over the shoulders of the vest.
[0015] Preferably, the body of the vest includes four encircling or
circumferential retro-reflective strips, and a pair of longitudinal
retro-reflective strips, each of which extend from the uppermost
circumferential strip of the front panel 12 over the shoulder to
the uppermost circumferential strip on the back panel 14.
[0016] A zipper 22 is provided which extends from the neck to the
waistband 24 of the safety garment so that the garment may be
easily put on or removed.
[0017] The safety vest may also include an elasticized waistband
24.
[0018] The high visibility safety vest is intended to be worn over
clothing.
[0019] It is preferred that all fabric components used in the
manufacture of the above mentioned garments shall conform to the
Australian Standard for High Visibility Safety Garments (AS/NZS
4602:1999) or the European Standard for High Visibility, EN471.
[0020] The safety vest may be used during the day or at night and
preferably incorporates fluorescent orange and lime yellow colors
for enhanced daytime visibility. Preferably the vests are made from
retro-reflective fabrics and films that exceed the highest
brightness category level of AS/NZS 1906.4:1997. In a preferred
embodiment, 3M.TM. Scotchlite.TM. Retroreflective films and fabrics
are used to ensure visibility at night or in conditions of poor
light. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that other
suitable fabrics and films are within the scope of the
invention.
[0021] Various other modifications may be made in details of the
shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation of the reflective
material, and in the construction of the safety garments without
departing from the scope or ambit of the invention.
* * * * *